Josh Freeman has signed with the Minnesota Vikings after being released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week. / Brad Penner, USA TODAY Sports

by Tom Pelissero, USA TODAY Sports

by Tom Pelissero, USA TODAY Sports

Josh Freeman is headed to the Minnesota Vikings. What that means for Christian Ponder remains to be seen.

One of Freeman's agents, Erik Burkhardt, tweeted late Sunday night the free-agent quarterback is signing with the Vikings.

Terms were not immediately available, but it was believed to be a one-year deal.

A person with knowledge of the Vikings' thinking confirmed the deal and said they'll keep their other three quarterbacks â?? Ponder, Matt Cassel and McLeod Bethel-Thompson â?? on the roster for now, though they'll discuss making a move with Bethel-Thompson.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Vikings hadn't announced the deal.

Freeman, 25, was cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday after four-plus seasons and an increasingly ugly, public feud. In 60 career games (59 starts), he has completed 58.2% of his passes for 13,534 yards, 80 touchdowns, 66 interceptions and a 78.8 rating.

He won't come in as the starter, the person with knowledge of the Vikings' thinking said, though it seems like only a matter of time before he learns the offense and gets to play.

Ponder, the 12th overall pick in the 2011 draft, missed last weekend's game because of a fractured rib and has tested coaches' patience with his inconsistency.

Cassel, who signed a deal in March that will pay him at least $3.7 million this season, played well in the Vikings' first win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Vikings had a little less than $2.7 million in cap space prior to the Freeman signing.